Lizards can eat mice, but they are not healthy for them. Throughout this guide, we’ll explain:
- Do Lizards Eat Mice?
- What Kind of Lizards Eat Mice?
- Do Mice Eat Lizards?
- F.A.Q.
Do Lizards Eat Mice?
Many lizards eat mice! If given a chance, lizards will fit them in their mouth and digest them.
However, herbivore lizards will avoid eating mice. That’s because their diet consists of plants and fruits.
Larger lizards tend to eat rodents. For example, snakes eat mice as a main source of protein. If you are planning on feeding your house lizards mice, it’s best to do it sparingly.
What Kind of Lizards Eat Mice?
Alligator lizards
Alligator lizards are aggressive and are not afraid to attack mice. Their most prominent character trait is their granular scales on each side of their neck.
Mice are unable to escape the alligator lizard’s jaws. After eating the mouse, the lizard will begin digesting them. Since they are larger than mice, they can kill them by biting them on the neck.
Alligator lizards can be found in leaf litter or an underbrush where they search for mice, spiders, and leaf arthropods. They are similar to snakes because they are shed in one area. When looking at them closely, you’ll notice their feet and hands are inside out.
Slender Glass Lizard
Slender glass lizards are legless, slender lizards that resemble snakes. They are different from snakes because of their inflexible jaws and moveable eyelids. This species is identified through its dark markings underneath its lateral groove.
The slender glass lizard tends to eat spiders, invertebrates, spiders, and rodents based on their diet. Unlike snakes, slender glass lizards have a rigid jaw and are unable to eat animals that are larger than them.
Blue Tongue Lizards
Blue tongue lizards are not poisonous, but they can still eat mice if they encounter them. They are omnivores, meaning that they can eat mice and plants.
Also, Blue tongue lizards can eat a range of vegetables and chopped fruits. While you can feed them mice, chances are they’ll become obese after eating a few of them.
If you have a blue tongue lizard as a pet, make sure they are pinky (newborn) mice that are up to 3 days old. When mice become older, they are too large for them to eat.
Bearded Dragon
Since they are omnivores, bearded dragons can eat smaller mice. On the other hand, mice are high in protein and fats and should not be given to them excessively.
Instead, you should feed them nutritious and balanced meals. Give them a diet filled with greens and insect protein to keep their health problems at bay.
Do Mice Eat Lizards?
Depending on the size of the mouse, they can actually eat a lizard. If the mouse is bigger than the lizard, then they can eat them.
When Should You Feed Your Lizards Mice?
While you shouldn’t make it a habit, there are two scenarios when you can feed your lizard mice:
- Illness: If your lizard is ill and needs to regain its strength, giving them mice will help improve their health.
- Pregnancy: Pregnant lizards need extra protein to help produce offspring. You can feed them mice to ensure that they are getting their daily protein needs met.
Unless the lizard falls underneath these two categories, then you should avoid giving them mice. Too many mice will make the lizard obese, making them unable to move quickly.
Feeder mice are not ideal for lizards, especially ones that are unclean. Alternatively, you should feed them vegetables and fruits to ensure they have a balanced diet.
What Other Foods Should You Feed Your Lizard?
Since mice are high in fat, they might not be the best long-term choice for your lizard. Here are some foods you should feed them to ensure they remain healthy throughout their lives:
- Vegetables
Feed your house lizard vegetables such as:
- Lettuce
When feeding lettuce to your lizard, avoid using iceberg lettuce. They have an excessive amount of water, and they don’t provide nutritional value for them. Instead, give your lizard dark green lettuce such as red leaf, romaine, and Boston lettuce.
- Celery
The stalk and leaves of celery are a good staple vegetable for most lizards. Before feeding your lizard, make sure you chop the celery into smaller chunks to prevent them from choking.
- Collard Greens
A favorite amongst most lizards, collard greens need to be finely shredded before you feed them to your pet. Give them a moderate amount of collard greens because they contain goitrogens and oxalates.
- Fruit
For lizards, fruit should take up to 10%-15% of their diet. Here are some fruits you should consider giving them.
- Apples
Lizards like eating apples in small amounts. To improve the taste, toss them in a bit of lemon juice. Doing so reduces browning and provides more nutrition. Cut the apple into smaller, edible pieces for your lizard, and make sure to remove the seeds. The seeds are toxic, which can be dangerous if your lizard consumes them.
- Grapes
Grapes are high in oxalates, making them great for younger lizards. Prepare grapes for your lizard by cutting or chopping the fruit.
- Strawberries
Strawberries are a great mixture of sweetness and antioxidants. Remove the stem and the upper portion of the strawberry and begin to chop it into fine pieces.
When giving your lizard fruit, make sure that 20%-25% of their food is not from fruit sources. While you can add fruit to your lizard salad, never give them an excessive amount of fruit as that could cause potential digestive problems as your lizard grows.
F.A.Q.
Do Mice Eat Baby Lizards?
Baby lizards are more vulnerable to mice. While baby lizards need more protein to survive, you should not give them mice. If a group of mice surrounds a baby lizard, they cannot escape. The group of mice will then eat the baby lizard after biting it.
Also Read
Do House Lizards Eat Spiders and Cockroaches?
Do Lizards Eat Caterpillars? (How to Keep Lizards from Eating Caterpillars)